Two-time NBA All-Star and Tar Heel legend Antawn Jamison is back at the University of North Carolina this semester, swapping his jersey for a teaching gig.

Jamison, who played 16 seasons in the NBA before moving into careers in television and NBA front offices, is back in Chapel Hill co-teaching MEJO 206, a sports communication course at UNC’s Hussman School of Journalism and Media.

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He’s serving as a visiting professor of the practice alongside Livis Freeman, a distinguished associate professor of sports communication.

For Jamison, returning to his alma mater has meant stepping into an entirely different role.

“First day I was a little nervous. ‘These kids don’t know who I am.’ They don’t want to hear me talk, but it’s been smooth," Jamison said. "I’m just going off my experiences. Things I’ve experienced. Just after class, having these students come in and ask questions to get as much information as possible.”

One of Jamison’s classes also included another familiar face. Former Tar Heel great Tyler Hansbrough, who previously served as a visiting professor and co-taught the same course with Freeman, joined the class as a guest.

Jamison said his goal is to use the experiences from his playing and professional careers to give students a look at the sports industry beyond the court.

Background

Jamison was the unanimous National Player of the Year in 1998 and was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021. He was the first player in ACC history to earn first-team All-ACC honors as a freshman, sophomore and junior.

In three seasons at Carolina, Jamison scored 1,974 points and grabbed 1,027 rebounds. He helped lead the Tar Heels to consecutive ACC Tournament championships and Final Four appearances in 1997 and 1998.

Jamison went on to play 16 seasons in the NBA, earning All-Star selections in 2005 and 2008 and scoring 20,042 career points.

After retiring from playing, he worked as a television analyst covering the Los Angeles Lakers before moving into scouting and front-office roles with the Lakers and Washington Wizards.

Jamison is also one of just eight players in UNC men’s basketball history to have his jersey retired.